Grissom Air Reserve Base - New Ops commander2 Boom ... · This Air Force Reserve online magazine ....

Tuition assistance change...3One team, one fight...5Medics serve Hawaii...11 Grissom’s fire team...10

Boom simulator opens...4New Ops commander...2

2 Heartland Warrior

Vol. 18, No. 10October 2013

This Air Force Reserve online magazine is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services, family, and friends of Grissom Air Reserve Base. Contents of the Heartland Warrior are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force.

The editorial content is edited, and prepared by the Public Affairs Office of the 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom ARB, IN, 46971-5000.

Any questions regarding any content should be directed to the editor at (765) 688-3348.

World Wide WebAir Force Reserve Home Page

http://www.afrc.af.mil Grissom Home Page

http://www.grissom.afrc.af.mil

StaffCol. Don Buckley................................................commanderLt. Col. Gary Lockard...........................chief, public affairsTech. Sgt. Douglas Hays...............................................editorTech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner............assistant editorStaff Sgt. Carl Berry............................................staff writerStaff Sgt. Benjamin Mota....................................staff writerStaff Sgt. Andrew McLaughlin...........................staff writerSenior Airman Jami Lancette.............................staff writer

On the cover...

HeartlandW Rarrio

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew McLaughlin

Senior Airman Kenneth W. Pinaire Jr., 434th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, positions a fire hose for pressure testing at Grissom during his seasoning training recently. The Grissom Fire Department is comprised of both civilian and military reservist firefighters, who work and train together as one team to protect the base and the local community.

By Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-WoempnerPublic Affairs staff

Trading cowboy hats for stock-ing caps, one Air Force lieutenant colonel is heading from the Sooner State to the Hoosier State to take command of the 434th Operations Group.

The 434th Air Refueling Wing recently announced that Lt. Col. Gerard Malloy will take command of the 434th OG here this October.

In his new position, Malloy will be responsible commanding the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. As such, he will manage the day-to-day operations and training of two operational flying squadrons and an operations support squadron.

The New York native said it's been nearly 30 years since he had to deal with snow, but that hasn't dampened his enthusiasm about leading the Indiana unit.

"I'm really excited about joining and working with the folks of the 72nd, 74th Air Refueling Squadrons as well as the 434th Operations Support Squadron and Grissom's maintainers," said Malloy. "Their reputation precedes them."

Malloy, who is currently the 465th Air Re-fueling Squad-ron director of operations at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., has worked with 434th ARW Air-men at several times throughout his career, but most closely when deployed alongside them at Morón Air Base, Spain, in 2003.

"They're known as a very proven organization with great crews," he added. "From the planes I've flown on and borrowed, I can say they're second to none, and that reflects highly upon the people who work on them and the pride they show."

Malloy received his Air Force commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1989 after graduating with a Bachelor of Art degree in aviation management from Oklahoma State University.

He then entered navigator training at Mather Air Force Base, Calif., and was assigned to the 384th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan. The then captain trans-ferred to the Air Force Reserve's 465th ARS in 1999, and attended

pilot training at Vance AFB, Okla., the fol-lowing year.

As a KC-135 pilot, Malloy has held several assignments to include instruc-tor pilot, chief of wing plans, chief pilot, chief of mission develop-

ment, chief of wing safety, director of operations and squadron com-mander.

The colonel is a senior pilot with more than 7,000 flying hours and has deployed in support of Opera-tions Provide Comfort, Southern Watch, Deny Flight, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.

Malloy to lead 434th OG

“I'm really excited about joining and working with the

folks of (Grissom)...”- Lt. Col. Gerard Malloy

Lt. Col. Gerard Malloy

Tuition assistance change...3One team, one fight...5Medics serve Hawaii...11 Grissom’s fire team...10

Boom simulator opens...4New Ops commander...2

U.S. Air Force photos by Senior Airman Mark Hybers

October 2013 3


There's no place like home.

That's something more than 60 Grissom reserv-ists expressed as they returned to the Hoosier heartland after a success-ful deployment to South-west Asia Sept. 22.

"Despite combat-ing extreme heat and a high operational tempo, our troops proved their professional skill, war-rior spirit and true citizen airman ethos," said Lt. Col. Todd Moody, 434th Operations Group interim commander, about the deployment, which he referred to as grueling. "Their efforts give us all a reason to be proud, and at the same time, we're thankful to have them all return home safely."

During their deploy-ment, the 434th ARW Airmen were assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, where they performed aerial refueling operations

Grissom Airmen return from 'grueling' deployment

in conjunction with U.S. and Coalition aircraft in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"It felt great to be over there doing the job we are trained to do to keep American safe," said Staff Sgt. Travis Helton, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft elec-tronic and environmental systems journeyman. "But, it's great to be home - there's no place like home."

With their hard work behind them, touching moments abounded as the 434th Air Refueling wing Airmen reunited with their families and friends after months of being away.

For one new father, it was an especially emo-tional event as he met his daughter, face-to-face, for the first time.

"I had Summer in July while Dustin was de-ployed," said Melissa Neu, wife of Senior Air-man Dustin Neu, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron KC-135 crew chief.

Airman Neu was there with his wife in the deliv-ery room via the Internet, but Melissa said it was still hard for him to be so far away during the birth of his first child.

"I'm really excited to have him back because it was really hard without him," she continued.

While his wife was vo-cal about her excitement, Airman Neu said he was at a loss for words as he hugged and kissed his child for the first time.

"I don't even know how

to explain it," he said. "I'm just happy, so very happy."

Moody said he and the rest of Grissom's leader-ship realize and appreci-ate the sacrifices Airmen and their families make in service to the nation.

"The service they provided to our military should not be taken light-ly," continued Moody. "Their sacrifice of time away from family and ci-vilian jobs is a wonderful example of what makes our country great."

Senior Airman Dustin Neu, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron KC-135 crew chief, holds his daughter, Summer, for the first time at Grissom after returning from a deployment to Southwest Asia Sept. 22. Summer was born while Neu was deployed, and he had only seen her in photos and videos before he redeployed with more than 60 Airmen.

Tech. Sgt. Kevin Hutchison, 434th Maintenance Squadron aircraft hydraulic mechanic, is greeted by Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Zorn, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron production supervisor, as he returns to Grissom from a deployment to Southwest Asia Sept. 22.

U.S. Air Force photos by Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner


Called the "business end" of a KC-135 Stratotanker, the boom pod in the rear of the jet is where aerial refueling takes place, and that business just got a lot more economical at Grissom.

Grissom leadership joined with members of the Grissom Community Council, a congressional representative and 434th Air Refueling Wing Airmen in a ribbon-cutting ceremony here to officially open a new boom operator weapons system trainer, or BOWST, Sept. 27.

"This is a unique opportunity for Grissom," said Col. Paul Weimer, 434th Maintenance Group commander, who led the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Meredith Perks, a region director for Sen. Joe Donnelly's office also took part in the event.

Grissom is the first Air Force Reserve Command base to have a

Grissom cuts costs, ribbon with new BOWSTBOWST, which will allow KC-135 Stratotanker boom operators to conduct vital training in a virtual environment.

A boom operator, or inflight refueling technician, is an important part of a KC-135's three-person aircrew as they are the Airman that guides the physical connection between the tanker and the receiver aircraft to transfer fuel during aerial refueling operations.

Grissom's BOWST, which cost approximately $3 million, will provide significant benefits by reducing the required number of flight hours in a KC-135 Stratotanker for boom operators to maintain training and currency, said Gary Beebe, a site manager with a contract company who operates and maintains Grissom's BOWST and KC-135 cockpit simulator.

"It's a money saver, because it cost about $300 per hour to run the BOWST, and it costs almost $7,000 an hour to fly the airplane," explained Beebe. "So, it's almost

a 20:1 ratio, and it has cut down on the number of flying sorties that it takes to get a boom operator initially qualified."

According to initial Air Force projections, the reduction in flight training will save Grissom an estimated $3 million per year.

On top of the cost-saving benefits, Grissom's BOWST also allows for enhanced training with emergency procedures and makes it easier for boom operators to train on all types of receivers.

"It allows us to train boom operators in abnormal and emergency processes that we can't safely recreate in the air," said Beebe. "You also don't have to fly to get to a different receiver; just flip a switch and a fighter becomes a C-17."

While Grissom's BOWST is already training boom operators, its capabilities are set to grow and become even more advantageous, he added.

In the near future, Grissom's BOWST will be connected with the base's cockpit simulator, with inputs in one affecting the other. Long-run, both of Grissom's KC-135 simulators will be able to link with other Air Force simulators around the world allowing for receiver and tanker crews to perform complete aerial refueling operations in a virtual environment.

"This is the first step toward a future where a pilot at Charleston (Air Force Base, S.C.) will get in their simulator, we will get in ours, and an entire mission will be performed over a secure Internet connection with the aerodynamic effects just as if it were really happening," elaborated Beebe.

Grissom leadership also anticipates the base's BOWST will train boom operators from other regular Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard KC-135 units in the region, just as it has KC-135 pilots in the cockpit simulator. Since 2005, Grissom has trained nearly 2,400 pilots from other units.

Mike Conner, a contract trainer for a new boom operator weapons system trainer at Grissom, explains the technical aspects of a BOWST to members of the Grissom Community Council Sept. 27. Grissom is the first Air Force Reserve Command base to have a BOWST, which will allow KC-135 Stratotanker boom operators to conduct vital training in a virtual environment, and according to initial Air Force projections, it will save Grissom an estimated $3 million per year.

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner

4 Heartland Warrior

By Staff Sgt. Andrew McLaughlinPublic Affairs staff

Some people answer a higher calling by serving as leaders in a religious community, while others answer that call in service of the nation’s military.

Then again, some very unique people serve in both capacities. These uniformed men and wom-en of the cloth are mili-tary chaplains, and in the Air Force Reserve, they are led by Chap. (Col.) Gary Califf, who visited Grissom Sept. 6-8.

Califf, the Air Force Re-serve Command chaplain, along with Chief Master Sgt. Walter Sheehan, AFRC chaplain assistant to the functional manager, visited the Hoosier base during functional area visit.

Califf said he conducts regular visits to reserve units to get a first-hand understanding of how local chaplains are having an impact and the lives of Airmen and the chal-lenges they face.

By getting out and visit-ing the units, he explained that he can also better advise AFRC leadership.

During their visit, Califf and Sheehan were able to observe how the Grissom chaplain team engaged with and advised 434th ARW leadership on matters pertaining to the well-being and support of Airmen and other service-members on the base.

They also provided de-velopmental counseling, evaluation and direction for the Grissom chaplain team.

“We encourage the team

AFRC Chaplain impressed during Grissom visit

and share lessons learned from other wings,” said Califf, as he explained that the unique role of chaplains requires them to always be at their very best.

Sheehan further ex-plained that the chap-lain corps is in a unique position to help Airmen in need.

“We are the only career field to have 100 percent confidentiality when providing counseling,” he said.

Toward the end of the visit, Califf said he found that the Grissom chaplain team was very engaged with the units here and that having full-time chaplain support had a positive effect on the base, including the tenant units.

There is increased

morale on bases with an active chaplain team and one can tell the difference on bases without that sup-port, he continued.

Sheehan concurred with that assessment and said he liked that the Grissom chaplain team is in the same building as Gris-som’s Airman and Family Readiness center because it’s close to other offices that provide support to Airmen, sometimes on related matters.

During their visit, Califf and Sheehan also met with the Grissom Integrat-ed Delivery System team, which is chaired by Chap. (Maj.) Obadiah Smith Jr., 434th ARW chaplain, and deals with a range of issues concerning Air-men including activities for single Airmen, chal-lenges of deployments

and physical fitness to prevent bad conduct that could lead to situations involving drunk driving and sexual assault.

Califf said he was im-pressed with the programs and initiatives Grissom had in place to address challenges that arise from these issues, and talked about how to effectively get through to people.

“We’ve got to engage the heart,” he said.

People unfamiliar with the chaplain corps may not fully understand the actual work they do, added Califf. Some may think their main duty is conducting religious services, but he said that is only one part of their responsibilities, which include supporting indi-vidual service members when they are in need.

Chap. (Col.) Gary Califf, Air Force Reserve Command chaplain, speaks with Chief Master Sgt. Karen Perkins, 434th Air Refueling Wing command chief, during a meeting at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., Sept. 7. Califf visited the base to speak with wing leadership about their engagement with the Grissom chaplain office and provide evaluation and guidance.


October 2013 5


By definition, a bold quest is a courageous pursuit of a valued objective, and to many service-members no objective could be more valued than solid battlefield communication.

Grissom Airmen endeavored upon such a pursuit to improve military communications during Bold Quest 13.2 by taking flight to refuel coalition aircraft as well as provide logistical support for a NATO E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft here Sept. 4-24.

Bold Quest is a coalition capabil-ity demonstration and assessment series held on a recurring basis. Among the technologies being demonstrated in BQ 13.2 were var-ious types of radios, tactical data links and network equipment used to support joint fires, joint terminal attack control, personnel recovery and other missions.

"Bold Quest is an exercise that tests coordination and identifica-tion systems between airborne assets and ground troops," said Lt. Col. Edward J. Dieringer Jr., 434th Operations Support Squadron plans officer, who spearheaded Grissom's involvement in the BQ exercise.

"(We) try to get all systems to talk the same language," explained German Air Force Capt. Martin Vogt, an AWACS fighter locator. "It's not going to happen, but what you need to do is find out where you have commonalities, where you can exchange that data and where you need to improvise."

Joining U.S. military and civil-ian members from the four military service branches were those from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ger-many, Denmark, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

The majority of BQ 13.2 was held at and over Camp Atterbury - Muscatatuck Urban Training Com-plex, Ind., convening warfighters,

Grissom takes flight in Bold Quest

Two French Air Force Mirage 2000Ds from the Fighter and Experimentation Squadron 05.330. line up in formation behind a 434th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker after an in-flight refueling mission over southern Indiana Sept. 13.

U.S. Air Force photos by Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner

6 Heartland Warrior

developers and analysts in a unique, problem-solving environment.

A 434th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker and E-3A flew out of Grissom while fighter aircraft, such as French Air Force Mirage 2000Ds, U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt IIs, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets and U.S. Ma-rine Corps AV-8B Harriers, flew out of the 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Grissom's refueling operations extended the flight times of the French fighters just as they would in a real-world operation, allowing for a longer and more thorough testing and assessment of new systems, said Dieringer.

The AWACS was described by Vogt as a command post in the air that acts as a medium between headquarters and the troops on the ground. He said their mission during BQ 13.2 was to both supple-ment other coalition military force assets as well as experiment with communicating to those forces with a new internet protocol communica-tion system.

"We have a IP (communications) upgrade that we'd like to test out here, where we are trying to get

becoming a pilot. Vogt agreed, stating that interop-

erability and compatibility will be key to future mission success.

"In the future it's always going to be a multi-nation operation, so you're going to have all these sys-tems that are not normally designed to be compatible, and you want to get them to have a certain compat-ibility, so that you can exchange data between the different nations, between the different systems," he added.

With Grissom's piece of BQ 13.2 now complete, coalition partici-pants can now reflect on the experi-ence.

"This year's exercise has been successful on many levels," said Dieringer. "(We look forward to seeing) the new systems deployed with troops around the world."

To see that fully come to fruition, Vogt said there is still work to be done, but BQ 13.2 definitely set the coalition partners on the right path for success.

"People are going to go away from here saying, 'yeah, we know what we need to do, we know what we need to fix to get this thing working,'" he said.

an IP connection into the NATO AWACS," the captain continued. "We need to make sure we can communicate with everybody on the battlefield, and IP connection, nowadays, is the media to go to to do that."

Communicating their enthusiasm, Grissom's aviators said they were excited to be a part of the joint and coalition exercise.

"This is really an awesome ex-perience because it not only helps us keep our positive relationships with other countries, it makes sure we can operate as one team," said 1st Lt. Jason Bireley, a 72nd Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 pilot who flew during BQ 13.2 to refuel French Mirages.

And, Bireley said, operating as one joint and coalition team in an exercise environment is important because that is how real-world op-erations take place on the modern battlefield.

"This exercise helps iron out our flaws and gives people and heads-up as to what goes on out there in the real world," added the lieuten-ant, who has served since 2002 as both a KC-135 crew chief and in-flight refueling specialist before

1st Lt. Jason Bireley, 72nd Air Refueling Squadron pilot, operates the controls of a KC-135R Stratotanker from Grissom during an in-flight refueling mission over southern Indiana Sept. 13. Bireley and the KC-135 crew refueled two French Air Force Mirage 2000Ds as part of Bold Quest 13.2, a coalition capability demonstration and assessment exercise, which fosters resource pooling, collaborative data collection and analysis to inform capability development.

October 2013 7

In an emergency, com-munications between first responders can be abso-lutely critical, and coordi-nating multiple agencies can be a daunting task when they use different communication platforms.

To solve this problem, the 434th Communica-tions Squadron has a joint incident site com-munications capability, or JISCC, system, which they recently deployed to the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Train-ing Facility in Littleton, Colo., to participate in Vital Connection 2013.

Vital Connection 2013 is a major communica-tions exercise sponsored by U.S. Northern Com-mand in conjunction with the Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, which included various participants from state, federal and local agencies.

"With many connected to the Internet through a smartphone these days, it can be easy to take for granted access to the out-side world," said 1st Lt. Dustin Schimp, 434th CS director of operations and leader of the Joint Com-munications Support Ele-ment team that deployed the JISCC system.

The system features sat-ellite IP connectivity and radio-frequency network interoperability between Department of Defense and civilian emergency re-sponse network systems. In addition, it includes a voice interoperability gateway, enabling first re-sponders to use handheld radios to communicate with each other.

Vital connections: Grissom communicators exercise emergency response capabilities

Using the JISCC, Gris-som's communication Airmen were tasked with providing Internet service and radio connectivity to the Denver Fire De-partment, Denver Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff's Office during the exercise.

"The challenge in this type of environment is to enable all of these various police and fire depart-ments the ability to talk to one another," explained Schimp. "Of course, it's always ideal when ev-erything goes perfectly smooth in an exercise, but it's when things go wrong that we are presented with the most learning oppor-tunities.

"At Vital Connection, the 434th CS had plenty of learning opportunities," he added.

After setting up a tent and generators, Gris-

som's team went to work connecting the various communication modules that make the JISCC tick. However, after everything was put together the team experience serious prob-lems with power distribu-tion, satellite reception and radio connectivity.

"Nearly every aspect of the communications hub was having trouble, and it was up to the technical expertise of Grissom's communications special-ists to fix it in the hot Colorado sun, with very few tools and other sup-plies available," explained Schimp. "Despite these setbacks, the mission had to go on."

To immediately provide Internet service to the civilian agencies respond-ing to a simulated disaster, the JCSE team set up a microwave-based Internet signal from their satellite

link to Grissom's terminal. This signal could then be distributed to whoever needed it, while Grissom's technicians worked to repair their own satellite signal.

After a great deal of troubleshooting, opera-tors were able to narrow the issue down to a faulty component deep within the JISCC satellite mod-ule.

"When you're out in the field you have to improvise--sometimes, a lot," said Mark Jensen, USNORTHCOM exercise planner who was on-site at the time. "I was most impressed with how they addressed their satellite issue; they were repairing a satellite receiver module in the hot Colorado sun with a dental tool and a Leatherman."

Staff Sgt. Eric L. Baker II, 434th Communications Squadron network operations technician, and Staff Sgt. Ryan Covert, 434th CS transmission systems technician, work with Scott Gray, a joint incident site communications capability system support contractor, to troubleshoot their system during a Vital Connection 2013 exercise in Littleton, Colo., recently.

U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Dustin Schimp

See JISCC, page 138 Heartland Warrior


Grissom Airmen joined with Americans around the world today to remember the victims of the 9/11

terrorist attacks.At 8:46 a.m., the time the first

aircraft crashed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Grissom Airmen and civil servants gathered together and paid their respects as the base flag was raised

Grissom gathers for 9/11 remembrance ceremony

October is Fire Prevention Month, focus is on kitchen safetyOctober is Fire Prevention Month, and to promote fire

safety, the Grissom Fire Department is turning up the heat to inform unit members of the dangers fire presents both at work and at home.

Les McConnell, Grissom Fire Department’s assistant chief of fire prevention and communications, took fire a fire prevention show on the road to the command post and gave mem-bers there the opportunity to use a fire extinguisher to fight a fire in a controlled environment.

Available controllers took turns extin-guishing a fire under McConnell’s safe supervision, who said the theme for Fire Prevention Month 2013 is increasing the knowledge and danger of kitchen fires.

Kitchens are the leading area of origin for home fires and most kitchen fires are caused by cooking.

There are roughly 3,000 reported kitchen fires per day in the United States.

Fire safety officials offer the follow-ing tips for safe cooking:

and then lowered to half-staff.Shortly after, Chap. (Maj.)

Obadiah Smith Jr., 434th Air Refueling Wing chaplain, said a few words in remembrance before allowing for a moment of silence.

"Over 2,900 lives were lost on this day," said Smith. "Today we stand in remembrance of them, but we also stand united in our mission, dedicated to our cause to continue to strengthen the fabric of America."

Ending a moment of silence was the somber sound of Taps played by Senior Master Sgt. Tim Wood, Grissom base honor guard manager, as a final tribute to the fallen before the base personnel went back quietly to their work area.

"We should never allow ourselves to forget those lost on 9/11 or those who have sacrificed so much even since," said Col. Bryan Reinhart, 434th ARW vice commander. "Today we came together as one wing, not only to remember but also to look ahead with hope."

Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Wood, Grissom base honor guard manager, plays Taps in front of Grissom personnel during a 9/11 remembrance ceremony held Sept. 11.

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner

- Be alert. Those who are sleepy or have consumed alcohol shoulde not use a stove or stovetop.

-Keep an eye on what cookers by staying in a kitchen while frying, grilling or broiling food.

- Turn off the stove when leaving the kitchen for even a short period of time.

- If simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food, check it regularly, remain

in the home while food is cooking and use a timer.

- Keep anything that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains away from stovetops.

- Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or car-ried.

- Homeowners should ensure that smoke detectors are functioning, have fire evacuation plans in place and en-sure that all residents are familiar with the plans.

For more information, contact Mc-Connell at 688-3353. (Editor’s note:

Article courtesy of the GFD)October 2013 9

U.S. Air Force graphic

szek, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief.

“Our primary respon-sibility is to protect and support the flying mis-sion,” explained Kleim L. Tomlinson Jr., Grissom assistant fire chief, but added that both sides of the department are respon-sible for a lot more.

Besides their 24/7, 365-day-a-year mission of always being ready at a moment’s notice to extin-guish aircraft and struc-tural fires, the GFD is also responsible for providing emergency medical ser-vices, hazardous material handling, confined space rescue, structural protec-tion and building inspec-tion at the Hoosier base.

However, their life-sav-ing endeavors don’t end at Grissom’s fence line as the GFD maintains mutu-al-aid agreements with the local community, allowing some of the region’s best trained emergency man-agers to respond off base in the most critical situa-tions, explained Kleim.

The GFD’s role in the north-central Indiana community is also vital as it maintains the only haz-ardous materials response team and the only techni-cal rescue team in Miami and Cass counties, said John Ireland, GFD fire chief.

And, in a rural com-munity along a major highway, using those

mutual-aid agreements to respond to life-threatening situations, where time is precious, saves lives.

“It’s important to get there quickly because every second counts,” explained Tomlinson.

Since 2005, the GFD has responded to more than 2,800 off-base mutual-aid requests, but that’s not the only way the department has supported the community.

Using its aircraft fire training simulator, which can be set ablaze using propane, the GFD is able to train other regional fire departments on live-fire aircraft response. These agencies include the Indianapolis International

By Staff Sgt. Andrew McLaughlinPublic Affairs staff

From battling fires to rendering emergency ser-vices, Grissom’s firefight-ers are always ready to answer the call of saving lives.

Like many Air Force Reserve fire departments, the Grissom Fire Depart-ment is comprised of both civilian and military reservist firefighters, but what makes the GFD so special is the teamwork the two sides have as they live, work and train together to protect the base as well as the local community, said Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Gro-

One team, one fight to save lives:

From the left to right, Senior Airman Kenneth W. Pinnaire Jr., Airman 1st Class Todd Williams, and Capt. Aaron Dehner, all Grissom Fire Department firefighters, rescue a simulated accident victim during a training scenario here recently.

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Douglas Hays

10 Heartland Warrior

Grissom Fire Department brings reservists, civilians together


October 2013 11

Airport, Purdue Universi-ty, Ft. Wayne City, Indiana National Guard, Delaware County and Columbus fire departments, ensur-ing they remain Federal Aviation Administration certified.

“We have a very good training facility,” said Tomlinson. “The aircraft mock-up is the best train-ing the world can offer as it gives the realism of hav-ing live fire while main-taining safety through external control.”

The GFD has also pro-vided agencies, such as the Kokomo, Ind., Police Department’s special weapons and tactics team, with rope and technical training.

It’s important to note that the mutual-aid agree-ments are just that -- mu-tual, said Tomlinson as he explained that in the event of a large-scale emergency on base, first responders from the local community would assist Grissom if needed.

And, just as the com-munity and base work together for the common good, so do the two sides of the GFD, explained Groszek.

Grissom’s civilian fire-fighters are here full-time to protect the base, while the military fire fighters, who are also fully capable of base protection, are primarily here to train for deployments, added the reserve fire chief.

At regular Air Force bases, military and civil-ian fire fighters inherently work together to provide base protection, explained Tomlinson, adding that is not usually the case at Air Force Reserve bases, where roles are usually more separated.

“We choose to be more

integrated,” he continued. “There is more cohesive-ness between the two units.”

A big part of that choice to work hand-in-hand as one team stemmed from the benefits both sides receive from the relation-ship.

“There are opportunities to train and learn together and share experiences,” said Tomlinson, explain-ing that several reserv-ist firefighters are also civilian firefighters in their local communities. “They bring a lot of external experience we can learn from.”

A prime example of this would be Groszek, who draws from his experience as a Chicago Fire Depart-ment lieutenant as he leads the reserve firefight-ers in military training.

And, because of their close relationship, the GFD’s military firefight-ers routinely perform the duties of their civilian counterparts, and its civil-ian firefighters will often participate in training with the military.

Over the years, the Air Force Reserve’s season-ing training program has helped breed this syner-gistic relationship, said Groszek.

During the 9-month program, new military firefighters live, eat, sleep and work alongside their civilian counterparts as they receive their initial upgrade training, making them fully deployable Air Force firefighters.

“We learn everything to become proficient fire-fighters,” said Senior Air-man Kenneth W. Pinaire Jr., 434th Civil Engineer Squadron fire protection apprentice, who is partici-pated in the training pro-

gram. “The civilians are very helpful with provid-ing us hands-on training.”

“(The seasoning trainees) get practical, hands-on training they wouldn’t get otherwise,” said Senior Master Sgt. Aaron Dehner, 434th CES assistant fire chief, who is also holds the rank of captain on the GFD’s civilian side. “The nature of firefighting requires experience.”

Dehner also explained that often times, reservists have additional military duties that can distract from their role as firefight-ers, so seasoning training allows new Airmen to focus on core firefighting skills and get experience

Grissom Fire Department brings reservists, civilians together

with real-life emergencies. The Department of

Defense Fire Academy trains all DOD military and civilian firefighters at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. New military firefighters are taught to be first responders at the school, and afterward, many train to become emergency medical tech-nicians.

While reservists go through entry-level train-ing, all GFD civilian firefighters are required to have prior experience, and most have military experi-ence, explained Tomlin-son.

“All of our personnel are fully trained when they come in,” he said.

Curtis Macy, Grissom Fire Department firefighter, prepares a hose for pressure testing here recently. The GFD is comprised of civilian and military reservist firefighters, who work together to protect the base and local community.

By Staff Sgt. Carl Berry Public Affairs staff

Ignorance may be bliss, but it’s no excuse for ingesting or using illegal substances.

Recently the Air Force reported that a popular brand of yogurt uses hemp seeds as an ingredient in one of its flavors, which is a prohibited substance pursuant to Air Force Instruction 44-120.

“It is the responsibility of all Air-men to know what they are putting into their bodies, so if Airmen are unsure if what they are ingesting is illegal, they should err on the side of caution,” said Capt. Tren-ton Hamilton, 434th Air Refueling Wing staff judge advocate. “It’s important to be aware of what is being ingested by reading product labels and lists of ingredients.”

To assist servicemembers, the Department of Defense’s Human

Performance Resource Center provides information on dietary supplements at http://hprc-online.org/dietary-supplements. However, the list is not all inclusive, and Air-men should fully research items in question.

Another issue being raised is the use of medicinal marijuana by a military member, said Gary Flook, 434th Aerospace Medicine Squad-ron drug demand reduction spe-cialist. Although some state laws, including those around Indiana, may allow for the use of marijuana, Airmen are still prohibited from using it under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

“The regulations were imple-mented to ensure military readi-ness, safeguard the health and wellness of the force, and maintain good order and discipline in the service; and, any violation of the regulations will subject Airmen to

discipline under the UCMJ,” shared Hamilton. “The consequences include possible criminal prosecu-tion, military discharge, and even punitive damages.”

There are two options that Air-men may use in the event they have involuntary or unknowingly con-sumed a prohibited substance.

“Air Force instructions allow Airmen to voluntarily disclose evidence of personal drug use or possession to the unit commander, first sergeant or a military medical professional,” said Hamilton. “By voluntarily disclosing this informa-tion a commander will grant lim-ited protection to Airmen.”

Another option is to contact the local Area Defense Counsel.

“Knowing what we ingest into our bodies is a matter of fitness, wellness, and in this case protect-ing one's career,” concluded Ham-ilton.

Ignorance is no excuse for banned substances

By Senior Airman Jami LancettePublic Affairs staff

Retiring at the top is a dream shared by many, and for one civil engineer, that dream came true.

Chief Master Sgt. Glen Johnson, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron infra-structure superintendent, retired Aug. 3, culminat-ing a career that spanned 26 years of military service.

During that time col-leagues noted the lasting impression he made on Airmen.

“He was a tremendous leader and mentor to the young Airmen in the squadron and the wing,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Bowden 434th CES engineer man-ager. “He will be greatly missed from the unit.”

Civil engineer chief retires after 26-year AF career

Johnson began his career in 1987 when he embarked into military basic training and techni-cal training as a missile maintenance technician.

Johnson officially began his career at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., as a missile maintenance team member and later a training non-commis-

sioned officer. He left active duty

in 1990 and joined the reserve where he was as-signed to the 434th CES.

During his time here he has worn multiple hats such as refrigeration and air conditioning special-ist; non-commissioned of-ficer in charge of heating, ventilation, air condition-

ing and refrigeration; su-perintendent of HVAC/R shop, and associate air reserve technician and readiness manager.

While with the 434th Air Refueling Wing John-son deployed to a range of locations including Panama, Honduras, Nica-ragua, Germany, Eng-land, Azores and in 2010 deployed to joint base Balad as the chief enlisted manager for the 332nd expeditionary engineer squadron.

With Johnson’s de-parture, CES members expect his years of ser-vice and expertise might be hard to replace.

“When you lose that much experience and knowledge with 26 years going out the door, you’re going to really feel it but we will press on,” Bowden added.

Master Sgt. Boguslaw Czesak, right, presents Chief Master Sgt. Glen Johnson during a retirement ceremony Aug. 3.

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jami Lancette


Ignorance is no excuse for banned substancesWASHINGTON -- Discussing

the future of the Air Force, senior military and industry leaders gath-ered at the Air Force Association’s 2013 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition, at the Gaylord National Resort and Con-vention Center at National Harbor, Md., Sept. 16-18.

More than 5,000 U.S. and allied-nation Airmen along with corporate and media representatives at-tended the annual event to discuss challenges and financial austerity facing the Air Force and aerospace community.

“The most important thing we have is our Airmen,” said Lt. Gen. James Jackson, chief of Air Force Reserve at the Pentagon and com-mander of Air Force Reserve Com-mand at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

“Our Reserve Component pro-grams retain the Air Force’s invest-ment,” said Jackson. “Retaining ‘Airmen for Life’ saves recruiting, training and education dollars.”

As senior leaders make structure and budgetary decisions, they will be adjusting the active component and reserve component mix.

The Air Force Reserve is part of every Air Force core mission. However, the future roles and mis-sions of the Reserve Component will be a key part of leveraging the cost advantages while keeping the right balance of Air Force capabil-ity and capacity.

“The biggest challenge to Air Force Reserve is funding and how we keep ‘Tier One’ ready,” said Jackson during a conference break-

make the Reserve Component Airmen more accessible to plan-ners who wish to capitalize on the strengths of each component.

“When the Air Force fills com-batant commander requirements, every single one of our Airmen should be in that planning,” Jackson said. “We are now using all of the Total Force and that is a good thing.

“We are a combat-ready force with operational capability, stra-tegic depth and surge capacity,” he said. “We’re going to keep on doing what we’ve been doing - providing combat-ready Air-men.” (AFNS)

Commander discusses AF Reserve future out session.

“Tier One” means being ready now. Currently, Air Force reservists train to same standards as regular component Airmen and prepare to deploy in 72 hours or less.

“We need to figure out which missions are best suited for the Air Force Reserve,” said Jackson. “We need to do what’s best for the Air Force. Take mission sets and put them into the component that can make the best use of them. Mission and functional areas also need to be big enough for a force development pyramid so our Airmen can clearly see their path to success.”

In many cases, the Reserve Component reduces life-cycle costs to the Air Force by recruit-ing and retaining reservists who have leading-edge, high-tech skills that they use in their civilian jobs. These reservists bring valuable insight and innovation to military programs.

“Citizen Airmen want to serve,” Jackson said. “They want to put their combat-tested operational experience to use.”

“Together, we provide Global Vigilance, Global Reach and Global Power better than anyone else,” Jackson said. “Three compo-nents are what the Air Force needs to get the most capability and ca-pacity out of it. Three components actually helped to mitigate some of sequestration’s effects.”\

In the coming months of 2014, Congressional leaders will review Air Force structure and budget plans for fiscal year 2015. New-up-dated enterprise-wide actions will

After acquiring an Internet connection from a satellite orbiting 42,000 miles overhead and restoring service, the JCSE turned its attention to its radio systems.

Because of high tension power lines overhead, high frequency radio signals couldn't get through to other units, limiting the radio communication capability.

"Some quick thinking and a lot of creativity brought the solution," recalled Schimp as he explained the team used a man-portable PRC-150 radio with the JISCC instead of a fixed radio antenna that came with the unit, allowing them to bypass the overhead radio interfer-

ence. With these and other solutions in place, the exercise

went off successfully and Grissom was lauded as a resilient unit that was able to adapt to tough circum-stances.

"It took some creativity and ingenuity to overcome the obstacles that our team faced in Colorado--and I'm very proud of what they were able to accomplish despite these setbacks," said Maj. Ulrich Adams, 434th CS commander. (Editor’s note: Article courtesy of the 434th CS.)

JISCC, from page 8

Lt. Gen. James “JJ” Jackson speaks during the Air Force Association’s 2013 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition Sept. 16, 2013, in Washington, D.C. Jackson is chief of the Air Force Reserve and the Air Force Reserve Command commander.

U.S. Air Force photo by Andy Morataya

October 2013 13

Tech. Sgt. Douglas HaysPublic Affairs staff

Tucked away in a small corner of Grissom is a unit that has a signifi-cant impact on Air Force readiness.

The Contingency Equipment Management Facility is an Air Force Reserve Command-run organization that acts as a central storage location for civil engineering supplies and equipment for regular Air Force and AFRC units world-wide.

“We support CE squadrons both active-duty and reserve,” said Karen Lank, CEMF supervisor. “We act as a resource that units can draw upon if they don’t have those assets at their home locations.”

Operating with a staff of eight civ-il-service personnel, and anchored by five contractors, CEMF man-ages a cost-effective re-utilization equipment support plan servicing

and began to consolidate them at the facility as well.

“This change allows us to better support units by increasing their time for skills and contingency training,” she said. “With smaller numbers we improve the equipment maintenance schedule and allow units to focus on their training.”

To establish an effective account-ability and maintenance procedures for more than 4,000 tactical radio packages acquired by CE units over the last 10 years, the Air Force recently began moving them here. These not only include the radios, but supporting equipment such as base stations, repeaters, vehicle adaptors and accessories.

The Air Force directed the ship-ment of radio systems here from 70 units in the past six weeks, Lank said.

“In addition to this workload,

Grissom tenant unit has big impact on Air Force

all AFRC civil engineer unit related actions.

Additionally, CEMF manages equipment procurement and distri-bution for all Air Force emergency management flights, fire and emer-gency hazardous material services, Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force functions, Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operator Repair Squadron Engineers, and reserve explosive ordnance disposal flights.

Working out of two locations, Bldgs. 592 and 190, the team man-ages and maintains more than $100 million in CE assets. In 2012 alone, they picked and shipped more than 26,000 items contained in 900 orders totaling $6.7 million to Air Force agencies.

Taking note of the high level of service provided by the CEMF, AFRC recently reviewed its equip-ment for the Prime BEEF functions

Barry Cann, a contractor with the Contingency Equipment Management Facility at Grissom, sorts through thousands of tactical radios shipped to the Air Force Reserve Command facility for storage, updating and upkeeping Sept. 30.

U.S. Air Force photos by Tech. Sgt. Douglas Hays


Glen Johnson, contractor supervisor, and his crew were tasked to build and ship 28 orders totaling over $3 million to various units within a three-week period. That’s an enor-mous undertaking and the team did an exceptional job with the tough time constraints.”

In the past year, CEMF person-nel have reutilized older radio assets with a cost savings of $139,000; redistributed $148,000 in equipment assets to AFRC CE units, and as-sisted CE Red Horse units from by providing nearly 2,000 training tools to support missions and exercises.

In addition to the radios, 768 firefighters’ self-contained breath-ing apparatuses are also now being stored and maintained here.

Housing the SCBA tanks for 28 fire units, the team can perform calibrations and maintenance for the

gear – with a total savings of about $60,000 annually.

“By us performing the mainte-nance it is a substantial time saver for units,” Lank said. “It will enable the firefighters to focus on accom-plishing their require training.”

Due to its continued expansion, the CEMF has to both expand and become more efficient with the space it has.

The unit recently reconfigured its main work space in Bldg. 592 and is taking steps to find additional space as its mission grows.

To make better use of their space, Brad Frank, warehouse leader, reconfigured their layout resulting in 3,500 square feet of additional stor-age capability.

“Brad presented me with an outstanding proposal that would increase workflow efficiency and the opportunity for more AFRC taskings,” she said.

“The shelving units were spaced too far apart,” said Lank. “We were able to move them closer and meet safety standards; it opened up a lot of room for us.”

And, it’s not just storage space that’s a challenge for the CEMF team. They must track and maintain all of the equipment, allowing end-user units to have visibility of asset availability.

In order to do that, Lank and John-son, adopted a barcode system to

simplify filling orders and improve accountability.

A Barcode Inventory Tracking System has streamlined the abil-ity to account for more than 6,000 line items and over $5.5 million in equipment assets, said Lank.

The CEMF also provides Air Force CE personnel with training on its BITS system with its BITS Training Center. The BTC offers students the opportunity to observe BITS operations first-hand.

“Airman ‘Snuffy’ knows what he has and what he needs; this system helps us to communicate clearly to meet those needs the first time,” she said, using the fictional name Snuffy to represent any Airman to whom they may provide equipment. “And, we deliver.”

Being able to deliver the equip-ment to where it is most needed not only ensures fast response, but also allows for cost savings.

“We ship commercially, and use our own drivers to deliver items via tractor trailer – whatever is most economical to the government,” explained Lank.

While the challenges the CEMF faces are as diverse as the items they store and maintain, Lank said she can see the benefits her organization provides.

“We save the government money,” she said. “In these times, that’s a good thing.”

Tech. Sgt. Danny Santana, 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance craftsman, rolls up cargo straps following the delivery of items to the Contingency Emergency Management Facility here Sept. 18.

Tech. Sgt. Mark Selby, 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operator, unlashes cargo tie-down straps upon arrival to Grissom with a load to the Contingency Emergency Management Facility here Sept. 18.

October 2013 15

Chief Master Sgt. Patrick Devine, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron’s assistant maintenance superintendent, lights a candle as part an NCO induction ceremony held at Grissom Sept. 7.

U.S. Air Force photo bt Senior Airman Jami Lancette


From their first to their last, America's Airmen earn each stripe of rank.

Nearly 40 Airmen from the 434th Air Refueling Wing here recently earned their next stripe. Their names are as follows:

To senior master sergeant:Johnny Armes, 434th Aircraft

Maintenance Squadron, and Eric Vance, 74th Air Refueling Squad-ron

To master sergeant:Brian Achenbach, 434th AMXS;

Scott Stark, 434th Communications Squadron; and Joshua Stedman, 434th AMXS.

To technical sergeant:Christopher Barrett, 434th

AMXS; William Cook, 434th Maintenance Squadron; Tramona Huxley, 434th Force Support Squadron; and Joseph Main, 434th FSS.

To staff sergeant:Bradley Brooking, 434th Security

Forces Squadron; Michael Con-nolly, 434th SFS; Klark Cult, 434th SFS; Austin Esotu 434th SFS; Joshua Frankum, 434th AMXS; Dustin Fullerton, 434th Civil Engi-neer Squadron; Benjamin Howell, 434th ARW; Nikkia Jackson, 434th FSS; Angela Krock, 434th Logis-tics Readiness Squadron; Nathan Lush, 434th SFS; Michaela Mc-Clintock, 434th Operations Support Squadron; James Osborne, 434th SFS;

- Bradford Wemmer, 434th FSS; and Charles Wilson, 434th AMXS.

To senior airman:Zachary Blow, 434th MXS;

Brenton Desarmo, 434th MXS; Kylee Knebel, 434th ARW; Zach-ary Munsell, 434th CES; Justin Tallman, 49th Aerial Port Flight; Mandy Thibeault, 434th AMXS; and Ryan Webster, 434th CES.

To airman 1st class:Zackery Ehret, 434th AMXS; Samone Hankins, 434th SFS; Da-

mion Reed, 434th SFS; Keith Ste-phenson, 434th AMXS; and Sarah Vanwaardenburg, 434th MXS.

To airman:Kaila Culpepper, 434th ARW;

David Harvey, 434th SFS; and Ar-maun McKenzie, 434th OSS.


For their meritorious service in the U.S. Air Force, 19 Grissom Airmen were recently awarded medals.

Meritorious Service Medal:

Those receiving MSMs included: Lt. Col. Patrick Brien, 72nd Air Refueling Squadron; Lt. Col. Kyle Moore, 72nd ARS; Lt. Col. Lewis Poore Jr., 72nd ARS; Maj. Kyle Knell, 434th Operations Support Squadron; Senior Master Sgt. Michael O'Brien, 434th Logistices Readiness Squadron; Master Sgt. Michael Morgan, 72nd ARS; Master Sgt. Karen Scholz, 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron; Master Sgt. Steven Wolf, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron; Master Sgt.

Nineteen awarded medals

Grissom announces 434th ARW enlisted Airmen promotions

Newest chief

Kevin Yeager, 434th Mission Support Group; and Tech. Sgt. Erin Barnett, 434th LRS.

Air Force Commendation Medal:

Those receiving commendation medals included: Tech. Sgt. Martin Bragg, 434th Force Support Squadron; Tech. Sgt. Jeremie Cutter, 434th CES; Tech. Sgt. April Gandy, 434th FSS; and Tech. Sgt. William Wright, 434th Security Forces Squadron.

Air Force Achievement Medal:

Those receiving achievement medals included: Master Sgt. Nicolas Sanches, 434th SFS; Master Sgt. Karen Scholz, 434th AMDS; Staff Sgt. Joseph Schluttenhofer, 434th Air Refueling Wing; and Senior Airman Cameron Harney, 434th AMDS.


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